My Worried Starfish
by SyiqahShikah
Summary: Nick could see that his best friend was worried about something as they made their way to their shared dorm room. He wonder just what the blonde boy was thinking about.


**Author's Note**: hihi...new here...first ever fic. This fic was written long ago and I decided that I should give it a shot.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own any of the characters from the story apart from the librarian.

So here goes.

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"Hey Nick!" Nick looked up from his book at the sudden intrusion to the peaceful silence of the library. He felt heat of embarrassment rise up to his face as he realized that the blonde boy that had created the noise was his best friend. Jeff's navy-blue blazer was unbuttoned and was flapping against his sides as he skipped his way through before flopping noisily down onto a chair opposite Nick.

"Yo! Watcha doin Nicky?" Jeff chirped rather loudly and had earned them a few glares from students nearby. Jeff simply does not understand libraries no matter how many times Nick tried to explain the things that he can and cannot do in one. Nick rolled his eyes at both Jeff's obliviousness to his surroundings and the nickname he had just used. Nick lifted the book in his hands slightly at Jeff to answer the question before shushing him and reminding him to keep his voice down. Nick flinched when Jeff suddenly shot across the table and tried to read the title off the book that was held open in his hands.

"Heh…The..The Raising?" Jeff snatched the book from Nick's grasped causing the brunette to cross his arms on top of the table at the sudden loss of something to hold on to.

"Why are you reading this? I don't get it…" Jeff sounded like he was accusing thus Nick's defensive mode began to stir in the pit of his stomach.

"What don't you get?" Nick tried to be nonchalant but it still came out as a hushed snap. He watched on as Jeff flipped the pages as if searching for something. After a click of the tongue from Jeff, Nick finally leaned forward curiously.

"May I ask what you're searching for exactly?" Jeff glanced up momentarily at the question before continuing his vigorous search.

"Where're the pictures at, Nick?" Nick face palmed. He should have known.

"Of course," Nick whispered quietly under his breath.

"Jeff, it's a book…a novel. It's not a must to have pictures," Nick stated. He was about to chuckle but the amusement died away instantly when he realized that Jeff was staring at him in what seemed to be horror as if Nick had just grown a second head that he was not aware about.

"What sorcery is this?" Nick smiled teasingly at Jeff, ready for the two of them to start laughing at the joke only to figure out that the blonde boy was definitely not joking. No traces of amusement on his face at all.

Gawd his best friend was being serious.

Snatching his book back from the frozen boy, he picked his bag up and slung it over his shoulders before heading over to the librarian at the counter. He passed the book to her with a small smile and a nod as he waited for her to do whatever needed to be done to borrow that book for a few days. Receiving it back from the librarian, he nodded at her one last time and head straight for the exit, not caring whether a certain blonde Dalton student was following. Not after covering half of the hallway did Jeff finally appeared beside him.

The tall blonde boy walked in matching pace with the short brunette beside him. His hands buried deep in his slacks' pockets in a lazy manner but his face was contorted in what Nick caught a glimpse of through the reflection on the framed up photo of their first principal on the wall, to be worry. Knowing that Jeff would eventually speak without requiring any prompts from Nick, he simply kept the comfortable silence between them as he led the way to their shared dorm room.

A sigh broke the silence and a smirk worked its way onto Nick's lips. Jeff hurried his steps a tad bit just so that he could stand in front of Nick, face-to-face. Nick though stopped in his tracks, his mind expecting Jeff to be where he was currently. He had grown accustomed to his best friend's random and sudden movements. As in, how could he not when he literally went through middle and now high school with the tall lanky blonde boy sticking to him like a starfish 24/7?

Nick tucked the book closer to his body whiles his right hand dug into his pocket as he waited for Jeff to start talking. Jeff was in a way avoiding Nick's waiting eyes. Nick grew even more curious as to what was going on in Jeff's head as the seconds ticked by. He began tapping his foot, the sound of it creating a beat that only increased the tension. However, he did not say anything, letting the tall boy before him take his time to construct the words into proper sentences. Nick could literally see Jeff's brain working its gears. He held back his laughter but a small smile escaped onto his lips as he knew that whatever amused him was only shown in his head.

When Jeff finally raised his head and his eyes held onto the other did Nick finally raise his eyebrow questioningly.

"Nick..I.." Jeff sighed in what looked like defeat. Nick's body unconsciously leaned forward. Jeff did not react to the change of distance between the two of them. Instead, he inhaled rather loudly before raising his head confidently, looking at Nick. Nick still waited despite the ten seconds of silence that followed after. Only Jeff, who knows Nick like the back of his hand, could see that the boy was growing impatient despite the fact that the brunette was standing still, his body in a relaxed manner. The way the boy began chewing the insides of his right cheek did Jeff realize that Nick's patience was growing thin. Well Jeff was after all the sticky starfish. He learnt about Nick just as much as Nick learnt about him. Nothing that had happened between them so far was unexpected.

"Duval, I'm worried about you," Nick's eyes went so wide at the sudden use of his last name.

Well that was unexpected.

Before Nick could even ask anything, Jeff had stepped in closer. It was Nick's turn to not react at the change of distance which was certainly growing shorter and shorter. He looked up at the tall boy hating the fact that his head actually had to go so far back to maintain eye-contact. He was and forever will be embarrassed by the big height difference between the two of them.

"You…." Jeff stabbed his finger squarely onto Nick's broad chest and paused for dramatic effect before continuing, "need to get a life and read books that actually have pictures in them. And I am worried, Nick that you'll die…of boredom," Jeff removed the finger and waved the hand into the air in a matter-of-fact. Nick could only take in Jeff's words that were said in such a serious tone that it had actually fooled Nick momentarily to be something logically true. Jeff pulled the book out from being tucked between Nick's left elbow and the side of his body. He then walked around him with the new object in his possession as Nick stared dumbfound after the blonde lanky starfish who skipped his way back down the hallway that they had just covered and into the library.

Nick turned back around as he stared ahead.

"Wait…did he just went back to the library to return the book I have just borrowed?!" Nick gasped in utter disbelieve to no one in particular.

Back in the library, Mrs Larson, the librarian, saw a blonde student clad untidily in his navy-blue blazer entered with a book in hand. He approached her with a serious face and placed the book in a determined manner on the counter before her. She glanced down at the book before staring back up at him in confusion.

"My friend wants me to return this book back. Thank you," the boy bowed at her for god knows what reasons before turning on his heels. She stared back down at the book that she had just scanned less than 10 minutes ago. Despite the doubts that were bubbling in her chest, she reached for the scanner when the sound of someone clearing his throat stopped her mid-action. Raising her head, that same blonde boy from not moment ago was standing on the opposite side of the counter. He leaned forward slightly over the counter to ask or say something. Curious herself, she leaned her ear towards him.

In a hushed and serious tone, the blonde whispered,

"Where is the Picture Books section?"

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**Thank you so much reading people!:)) I hope you guys love it. Reviews are very much appreciated as I hope to upload more stories in the future. I would love to know how you guys feel about this fic.**

**Thank you once again!*Throws Hearts***


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